The Mighty Reiko chan
by Seamok
Summary: All the Rei clones were destroyed, but with a twist of fate, one survived and developed the famous bouncy personality. Drama ensued as she was forced to coexist with her introverted sister.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Neon Genesis Evangelion belongs to Gainax. I make no profit by writing this fiction. All ideas in this story are my own; similarities with other fictions are purely coincidental.

Author's note: I made a slight change to the Anime storyline, and this happened shortly before the 12th Angel arrived. English is not my first language. Warning for mild violence and sexual content.

* * *

**The Mighty Reiko-chan**

Terminal Dogma, the place deep within the NERV complex, was a secret kept hidden from all but four sets of eyes. It housed the production factory for Dummy System, supposedly the deadliest weapon being developed by the higher powers of the organisation.

Dummy System, an autopilot program that promised might beyond comprehension, had a core comprised of hundreds of soulless human clones. Presumably, all of them were lifeless containers, but unknown to everyone, including the scientist whose fingers were now busy keying in the destructive sequence, one of these shells had accidentally acquired a soul and with it, her own AT-Field.

The soul was floating along the weaves of time, threading the fine line between consciousness and complete detachment. It was a calm environment. The surrounding warm liquid gently massaged her muscles with its tidal waves as she waited for something to happen. It gave a numb and passive sensation, but she could feel it approaching. A flicker of light slowly formed inside her. It made her restless, and soon she was becoming impatient. There was no clear boundary in this empty space; nothing was within it, and nothing was beyond.

Her trance was disturbed by a sudden shot of pain soaring through her veins. The fine line was broken, and the dream like state was replaced by an absolute awareness. A huge force swept down her body as the surrounding warm liquid was being drained away. Seconds later, the same comfortable liquid that used to wash her skin was no longer present.

Tired and weary, the girl collapsed to the floor. It was the first time she felt the cold touch of the hard concrete. She drew a series of sharp breath, struggling and gasping for oxygen as her lungs slowly adjusted to breathing air rather than LCL fluid. It took a brief moment for her to settle down, but once she did, the girl gradually forced her eyes open.

It was a new perception as she became visually aware of her surroundings. Initially, it felt alien, but she was able to adapt rapidly. She then carefully observed the dark room, helped only by a depressing orange light that radiated from the central pillar. A soft and wistful weeping was heard. Amidst the faded illumination, she saw a woman kneeling beside the pillar.

With her shoulders heaving, she seemed like the only moving object in the room beside the young girl herself. The woman's back was faced towards the girl, and she did not seem to know of her young companion's presence. The glass wall separating them slowly slid downwards, exposing the naked young girl to the external environment.

Still feeling slightly confused, she glanced downwards and stared at her own reflection in the puddle of LCL located just in front of her. The girlish image inside the orange liquid looked young, with her childlike face framed by a mop of wolf-like hair. She blinked, and the image immediately blinked back. The girl then slowly turned her head from side to side, and she found herself curiously satisfied when she saw the image mimicking her actions.

The new knowledge was pleasant for the girl, but it was swiftly replaced by revulsion when she turned her attention to the masses lying around her. They were fleshy, and although not entirely recognisable, she could tell that they were broken limbs and degenerating bodies of young girls like her. Fresh blood were still seeping from their wounds, and for those whose faces were still fairly distinguishable, there was a look of pure horror in their dead expression. The gruesome picture quickly overwhelmed all other senses, and she suddenly felt a boring lump building inside her throat.

Fear became the dominant emotion.

The girl looked at the corpses from one to another. Her heart began to beat uncomfortably. Her hands subconsciously wandered over her own body, trying to feel for her own flesh to make sure she had not suffered similar fate the other girls did. However, even learning that she was fine and alive did little to sooth her trepidation, as she turned to stare at the sobbing woman near the pillar.

The woman was the one who murdered the other girls. In the child's very young mind, there was no doubt about that. Gathering whatever strength she had, the girl stood up carefully, trying her best not to alert the woman. She then stepped out of what looked like a drained aquarium onto the floor outside. It did not take her long to notice the exit, so being as quiet as she could, the girl tip toed to the door, and once she was outside the dark room, she ran down the corridors with all her might, not willing to see the brutal woman ever again.

It took a while for the girl to get accustomed to the blinding white light that lit the winding corridor. She noticed many branching pathways as she moved along, but the girl chose to follow the main hallway. As she jogged, the dried LCL fluid on her skin began to feel irritating. The cold air sent chills down her spine and gave her goose bumps.

Soon afterwards, the girl was no longer aware of how much distance she had covered. The identical and labyrinthine layout of the corridors made her weary and dejected. She felt exhausted from the running, confused by her surrounding and scared of what she might witness next. She wanted to leave the place, but she did not know which direction she should follow.

It was a while later that the girl stopped when she noticed a slightly ajar door on the left wall of the passage. Behind the metal plate was another dark room. Her curiosity peaked, and she silently hoped that the small outlet would lead her away from the maze and take her somewhere else.

Carefully, she leaned closer to the door and glanced inside. She could see nothing but an absorbing black. It could be another large endless hall, or worse, it could be the very same gloomy room that she had just come from, without the orange lights on. Nevertheless, the girl wasn't given much time to think. Her ears perked when she heard footsteps approaching from down the corridor.

After the horrific scene she had witnessed earlier, the girl was not keen on being seen by another living creature. Her instinct took over. She leapt through the door into the dark room.

Only to be hit squarely in the face by a concrete wall.

The girl barely stifled a cry of pain, as she tenderly rubbed her sore nose. The small room was actually a cleaning closet, and it was very crowded. The rough and prickly brushes of the brooms stung her naked skin. She felt very uncomfortable, but managed to keep quiet as she peeked through the narrow slit between the door and the wall.

Two men were seen advancing.

The taller one had greyish white hair and narrow eyes; he was dressed in a reddish brown suit.

The shorter one, on the other hand, looked to be strongly built, with a mass of black hair and beard framing a fine looking face; his eyes were obscured by an orange tinted glasses and he wore a black coat with a red shirt underneath.

At first, they seemed to be walking in silence, but she heard the white haired man spoke after a while, "I must admit I find this sudden change of event quite bothering, for it could seriously affect our scenario."

"Yes, yes it could," The other man replied with a flat tone.

"Are you not concerned, my friend?" His companion asked, "Because you do not appear to be troubled at all."

"I assure you, vice-commander, that I am as concerned as I should be."

"You are certainly hiding it very well. I am not convinced by your decision for not taking any section-two agents with us."

"There are spies within us. You know that, and we cannot afford to take the risk. This new development must be kept between only us and those concerned, the old men council not included," The younger looking man replied with the same cold voice, "We do not want to aggravate the situation more than it already is."

"What about the doctor?"

As the two men walked pass the closet, the girl held her breath for a few brief seconds. The room was becoming increasingly humid and she was sweating profusely. The moment was tense, and the anxiety added perspiration to her already damp skin.

"The doctor is a broken woman. She poses no threat."

"You are a cruel man, Ikari," The vice-commander said with a slightly harsh tone, "You know very well why she is, as you put it, broken."

By then, they had already gone a fair distance away from the girl's hiding place. Nevertheless, she kept still and listened eagerly. Although she had little understanding of the content of their dialogue, she was able to appreciate the language spoken and she found it very interesting. However, for a long moment, there was no word exchanged between the two men.

Eventually, it was the white haired man who resumed the temporarily halted conversation, "So what plans do you have in mind?"

"The solution comes after we gain full knowledge of the situation."

"Hmph," The vice-commander spat in annoyance, "Delaying the inevitable is hardly a wise move."

"Neither is making decisions without fully understanding the extent of damage," The man called Ikari responded as they both turned at a corner and disappeared from sight, "Let me assure you once again, Fuyutsuki, that this minor setback will not deter us from our goals."

As they progressed further and further away from the girl, their conversation gradually became muffled, and it wasn't long before silence took over the hallways once again. Nevertheless, she stayed quiet in the cramped closet for a little while longer. Nothing was audible except her own palpitating heart beats and strained respiration. As soon as she felt sure that no one else was in the area, she lightly pushed the door open and stepped out.

From there, she continued her journey down the corridor. It followed more or less the same pattern as before, for the girl was still clueless on where she was going. She made several turns and walked some stairs, but all these paths were swiftly forgotten as she continuously encountered new rooms and corridors.

She was beginning to feel that the entire world was made up of puzzling maze when she suddenly heard a melodious sound.

It was completely different from what she had experienced so far. Although she could not understand the language, it somehow lessened her apprehension. Feeling curious, the girl started tracing for the origin of this peculiar noise. It didn't take her much effort, as she found the source after entering a strange looking room.

The ceiling was a brownish yellow, and both the walls and floor were made up of clean, white tiles. A tidy row of lockers were seen on the left wall, whereas the right wall was lined up with shower stalls. Two rows of benches were placed at the centre. An outlet was located at the far left corner, and inside there were mirrors, sinks and toilets.

One of the shower stalls was engaged, and the person inside seemed to be singing. The curious girl then proceeded to the stall beside the occupied one. She then stepped inside. At first, she was unsure of what she should do next, but eventually, she decided to follow her companion's example. She slid the curtain shut and stared questioningly at the shower head.

She waited, but nothing happened.

Something seemed to be wrong, for unlike the stall next to hers, this one didn't appear to be producing the running water. Her gaze soon landed on the two buttons protruding from the wall under the shower head. Her heart lit up as she believed she might have found the solution to her problem. Without further delay, she pressed the two buttons eagerly, but again, nothing happened. The buttons didn't even budge.

However, the girl was quick to adapt. She wrapped her fingers around the two buttons and turned. Immediately, a rush of water rained down from the shower onto her skin. The girl jumped and squealed in delight at her new discovery.

It was then the singing stopped suddenly.

"Wonder Girl?" A female voice asked. A long silence ensued as neither of them spoke. It was another nervous moment for the pale girl, but she was relieved when her companion seemed to have shrugged it off and continued her singing.

The water was neither too cold nor too hot, and as it gently washed off the dried orange liquid on her body, the girl began to feel relaxed. The interesting songs coming from her companion helped calm her fear as well. She liked them very much, and soon, she was nodding and dancing to the musical beats.

As the girl rubbed her skin clean, she paid close attention to the cyclic nature of the songs. There were certain parts where identical melodies seem to apply. Some of them were fast and energetic, whereas others were slow and emotional. She struggled to recognise the lyrics, but it didn't take her long to memorise the tune, and once she did, she started humming together with her companion.

"Heh," The other girl snickered scornfully, "I never knew you could sing."

The pale girl didn't let her companion's spiteful tone stop her from singing, however. She felt happy and pleased with herself. Totally ignorant of the fact that she was now the only one singing, the girl chimed and danced inside her own stall.

A few minutes later, she heard the curtains of the adjacent stall being pulled open and the other girl stepping out. Eager to meet this new stranger, the girl turned off the shower and exited her own stall. She was still naked when she stepped outside.

It was then she saw how her companion looked like. Her body was wrapped in a white towel. Her distinct facial features were enhanced by two sparkling blue eyes and fine, silky red hair that ran down her back. She was slightly taller than the pale girl herself, but both of them shared the similar slim built.

The red haired girl didn't seem to care much about the pale girl's nudity, however, as she took a glance at her and sneered, "So what's wrong with you today? Did you get praised by your commander or something?"

Feeling a little confused, the girl was about to answer, but she struggled to find the right words. Nevertheless, the red haired girl didn't wait for her reply. She simply ignored her and walked to the washroom to use the hairdryer.

Not knowing what else to do, the girl picked up a towel lying on the bench and draped it over her body, trying to imitate her companion's action. However, she soon realised the cloth's real purpose, so she began to rub it on her skin to dry herself. Once she was done, she carefully lay the towel back down on the bench.

It was then a set of uniform hanging on the nearby wall caught her attention. Her curiosity peaked again, as she remembered that all the people she had seen so far were properly dressed, or at least partially covered. Feeling the need to follow their examples, the girl proceeded to take the uniform down and slid it over her own body.

It felt loose at a few places, but overall it was comfortable.

She playfully fidgeted with her skirt, feeling the smooth texture of the light material. A small piece of metal was pinned to the blouse near the chest. It had some letters written on it, but the girl paid no heed. Her lips subconsciously curved upwards into a smile. Soon, she found herself skipping around the restroom, seemingly not bothered by the wet floor.

A few minutes later, the red haired girl was seen walking out of the washroom. She paused when she saw the girl bouncing all over the place.

"What on earth-" Still wrapped only in a towel, she glanced at the wall where her uniform used to hang. It was now empty. She then stared back at the hyperactive girl. "What the hell are you doing in my shirt!"

The girl in question stopped her playful act when she noticed the angry glare on her companion's face. She began to slowly back away as the red haired girl advanced on her menacingly.

"Give it back you sick little bitch!"

And with that, she pounced on the retreating girl like a fierce predator. The soft looking girl suddenly felt a huge force colliding with her body, and a heartbeat later, both were landed painfully on the floor. The red haired girl continued her assault, and their limbs were soon intertwined. While one struggled to free herself from the tangle, the other was clouded by sheer fury as she threw punches after punches at her victim.

It was a short moment later that the pale girl fought back with a fury of her own. She grabbed a handful of her attacker's hair and pulled violently. The red haired girl screamed in agony, before raising her hand and swiping it across the pale girl's cheek, sending off a resounding slap. As the receiver became temporarily dazed, her adversary seized her blouse and shook her aggressively, knocking her head repetitively on the cold hard floor.

However, it didn't take long for the pale girl to regain composure, and once she did, she responded by landing two ferocious kicks onto her opponent's stomach. A splitting sound was heard before the red haired girl stumbled a few metres backwards onto the floor. The two of them then kept still and stared at each other for a few tense seconds.

The pale girl was annoyed. The front of her blouse was ripped and her breasts were exposed to the cool air again. She frowned.

The red haired girl was fuming. She opened her palms and looked at the shreds of cloths. Among them was a small piece of metal, now bent in an odd angle. She then fired a deafening scream, "Look what you did to MY uniform and MY nametag!"

It stung the pale girl's ears, but she was quick to react this time. She stood up quickly and darted out of the restroom.

Seconds later, she was sprinting down the familiar, and yet foreign corridors again. Her skirt flickered as she ran. The rapid air blowing against her bare groin gave it a cool sensation. At first, it felt awkward with her breasts bouncing up and down as she jogged, but the girl was able to learn fast. She cupped the two globes of flesh with her hands and secured them in place. The girl was pleased to know that this simple action made running a lot easier.

She glanced backwards after a while. The red haired girl was still pursuing her, shouting all forms of profanities as she clutched uneasily to her slipping towel.

The two of them then ran past several NERV employees and guards. All of them appeared to be stunned when they saw a blue haired girl and her red haired rival chasing around the hallways like two little children. The pale girl and the red haired girl never stopped or slowed down, however, and when the two of them ran through the NERV canteen, the crowd exploded and cheered delightfully at the two half naked teenagers.

"My god the pilots have gone crazy!"

"Remove your hands and show us the tits!"

"Quick! Someone take the pictures!"

"Five thousand yen on the Second Child owning the First! Who's game!"

The pale girl felt overwhelmed by the sudden presence of so many living people. To say she was happy would be an understatement, for she was simply overjoyed that they were all so thrilled to see her. Besides, she was beginning to enjoy the attention she was getting.

She then ran to the middle of the cafeteria, jumped onto one of the occupied tables and kicked several plates towards the red haired girl still hounding her, all done in a slick motion. Unfortunately for her adversary, two of the plates were half full of ramen, and one of them struck her on the face.

The red haired girl collapsed to the floor, screaming at the top of her lungs as the greasy noodles dripped down her chin and fell into her cleavage.

The pale girl, on the other hand, giggled triumphantly. Her skirt flew as she hopped down from the table, and several lucky spectators in the crowd were given the privilege to savour a clear view of her pubic region. She then recovered her balance and dashed through the crowd amidst the chanting of "Ayanami! Ayanami! Ayanami!"

As the pale girl ran, she glanced back over her shoulder and was surprised to see that her red haired enemy had already got back to her feet. The humiliated girl had resumed to chasing her with an added motivation, and this time she had a murderous glare in her eyes.

The two girls picked up from where they last left and returned to sprinting down hallways and corridors.

Several turns at a few corners later, the pale girl was starting to tire out. She was obviously not as athletic as her pursuer. To make things worse for her, she had arrived at a dead end. The doors were all locked, except for a small, brightly lit cell. Acting on survival instinct, she rushed into the cube-like space, turned around and prepared to face her opponent, who was still running at a fair distance away.

It was then the pale girl noticed the buttons lined up on the right side of what seemed to be a door. Feeling curious, she lifted her finger and pressed one of them. The little button lit up immediately. She then pressed another button, and another, and another until nearly all the buttons turned orange light and the two metal doors in front of her slid shut.

"COME BACK HERE YOU DIRTY WHORE!" She heard her red haired adversary scream just before the entrance was completely closed. The pale girl sighed in relief as she finally escaped the hostile woman. She then felt a gentle force pulling downwards as the elevator began to ascend.

A few seconds later, it stopped. A bell was heard, and then the door opened. The girl waited, but nothing happened. The door closed soon afterwards and the elevator resumed ascending.

Another few seconds later, the elevator stopped again. The same bell was heard, and then the door opened. This time, the girl poked her head outside the entrance to see what was happening. She stood still and observed the empty waiting area. And then suddenly without warning, the two metal doors slid shut and sandwiched her head.

She yelped in surprise and leapt backwards. She was still rubbing her temples when the doors closed and the elevator continued the ascension.

Although a little confusing, the pale girl found it quite interesting initially. The orange light on the buttons seemed to disappear one by one as the same procedures were repeated over and over again at every level. However, after a while, she began to find it boring, and she was glad when something different happened a few floors later.

At the ninth floor, the two metal plates opened to reveal a brown haired woman. The girl stared curiously, as her new companion's eyes widened in shock.

"Ayanami! What happened!" The woman exclaimed as she quickly took off her jacket and wrapped it over the thin girl's body, "Were you attacked!"

The girl stood there passively and watched the woman buttoned up her new shirt. She felt comfortable and warm, as her breasts were finally covered once more.

"Are you alright?" The woman asked and tenderly caressed the girl's swollen cheeks, "Who did this to you?"

The girl was about to answer when she realised that, for the second time, she was struggling to find the right words. It seemed that while she experienced no difficulties understanding speeches, she had troubles giving them herself. She contemplated for a brief moment before finally replying, "Sick little bitch."

The woman looked surprised, "E-excuse me?"

"Crazy little woman attacked Ayanami," The girl added. She felt nervous mentioning the word Ayanami, but it seemed that the woman was referring to her by that name.

"Who is that?" The woman raised her eyebrow.

"Sick little bitch…Crazy little woman…" The girl replied. She then put her palm on top of her head, and moved it horizontally across, seemingly telling her new friend that the crazy little woman was of similar height to the girl herself.

"Would you happen to be talking about Asuka?"

The girl tilted her head, "Asuka?"

"Yeah, Asuka…you know, the Second Child as you normally call her."

The girl still looked confused, "Second Child?"

The woman sighed, "Your fellow female pilot with red hair."

"Red hair, yes, red hair," The girl responded in delight, "Red hair Asuka, yes. Asuka attacked Ayanami. Asuka is dirty whore."

"That's not a very nice thing to say, Ayanami," The woman frowned, before gazing at the girl understandingly, "But then, what she did to you wasn't that nice either…"

The girl smirked inwardly. If only the woman knew what she had done to Asuka, she would most likely be sympathising with someone else. It was then the girl noticed a small, familiar looking metal piece pinned to the woman's blouse.

She pointed her finger to the peculiar object and asked, "Nametag?"

"Yeah, I'm only going out to buy some takeaways for supper," The woman explained, smiling, "I'll be back later tonight for work, so I figure there's no point changing uniform."

The pale girl, however, paid little attention to what the woman was saying. Her eyes were still fixed on the nametag. She was more eager in understanding why Asuka had been so keen on tearing it off her uniform earlier in the changing room.

The woman, on the other hand, shifted her balance from side to side. Apparently, she was growing uneasy at the girl's intensive stare on her chest. She broke the awkward silence after a while, "Well…it says…it says Lieutenant Ibuki Maya…but you can call me Maya…"

The girl looked up at her companion, noticing the red shade on Maya's cheeks. She actually found it quite lovely.

"Maya," The girl said, smiling. She then patted herself on the chest, "Ayanami."

The woman gave a warm smile in return, "I know your name. You're quite famous, you know? Anyway, it's my pleasure to meet you."

Maya then extended her hand. The girl simply stood there with her head tilted, staring curiously at Maya and unsure of what she should do.

"You really aren't very familiar with social custom, are you?" The woman laughed softly before adding, "You're meant to shake it."

Slowly, the girl raised her hand and gently grabbed Maya's. The woman then shook her hand lightly. It brought a small smile to the girl's face.

"We're friends now, Ayanami," Maya said as she brushed the girl's hair affectionately. She then added with a concerned tone, "Look, Ayanami, you probably don't think it's my business to step in, but does anyone else know about your fight with Asuka?"

The girl nodded and chirped happily, "Maya knows!"

"Just as I thought…I better inform Dr Akagi," The woman shook her head as she retrieved a cell phone from her handbag. She then pressed several buttons and held it to her ear.

Both of them waited in silence, with Maya concentrating on her task and the girl tugging playfully at the woman's uniform. A few minutes later, Maya sighed and put her phone back into her bag, "She seems busy at the moment. Maybe I'll drop in and tell her later after I come back."

They then stood still for a brief moment. Maya was looking at the level indicator at the top of the lift; the girl was still staring at her new friend. The elevator continued to stop at every single level through their ascension.

"Say…Ayanami…" Maya spoke after a while, "Did you press all those buttons?"

The girl nodded enthusiastically, as she recalled how the buttons saved her from Asuka, "Buttons are Ayanami friends!"

Maya seemed surprised at first, but she then gave another warm smile, "And a few days ago, I was getting worried that you might be too withdrawn. It seems that you're a normal child after all. That's how a youngster your age should be like, playful and uninhibited."

The girl smiled in return. She was feeling proud of herself.

A few minutes later, the elevator stopped and Maya stepped out. The girl quickly followed her new friend. As they walked down the enormous hall, Maya retrieved a small packet from her handbag. She then nicked a tiny cube from inside the small packet and removed the cover paper, revealing a pink capsule. The woman then put it into her mouth and started chewing.

She noticed the girl watching questioningly, so she held the packet to her and asked, "Would you like some bubblegum?"

Smiling, the girl copied her friend's actions and took one piece out from the packet. She then undid the wrap paper and placed it in her mouth. It tasted sweet upon her tongue. She enjoyed munching and moving it around her oral cavity, exercising her jaw muscles and feeling the elasticity of the fascinating object.

She then spotted Maya performing a very enthralling act. It seemed that the woman had made a balloon by blowing the bubblegum.

Immediately, the girl tried to mimic her friend. She glued the sticky material to each side of her gum and breathed hard into it. At first, it was hard and frustrating, with Maya chuckling from the side when she saw the girl's comedic efforts. However, after a few attempts, the pale girl managed to inflate a small balloon. She then smiled victoriously at her friend.

Maya laughed and clapped her hands, before offering the packet, "Here, would you like to have more?"

The girl's eyes widened gleefully as she received it from her friend. She then digged her hand into the packet and retrieved several more cubes, unwrapping them and stuffing them inside her mouth.

"You can have all of them if you want," Maya said as she stroked the girl's hair soothingly.

The girl responded with a big grin.

"You should say thank you," Her brown haired friend frowned and scolded teasingly.

It took the girl a brief moment to comprehend, but she managed eventually, "Thank you, Maya."

"That's more like it," Maya replied, smiling, "and you're welcome."

By then, they had walked through the NERV main entrance. It was late evening on the outside, and the girl was intrigued as she stepped out of the building. For the first time in her young life, she was able to appreciate the feel of exterior environment.

The air felt light and fresh, and the cool wind was a pleasant touch to her skin. A number of white lamps lined up along the streets, lighting and giving life to the surrounding area. Various colours of neon lights were seen sparkling in the far distance. Several tall buildings stood scattered over the wide region, giving the otherwise lonely place a civilised look.

"Alright, Ayanami, I better go," Maya said, "It's getting late, so you be a good girl and go home early, ok? I'll talk to Dr Akagi later, and I'll see you tomorrow. Goodbye!"

And with that, she headed off. The girl paid little attention to her, however, as her eyes were glued to the billions of stars twinkling in the night sky. Their whitish blue light was a fine decoration to the black curtain, and the girl soon found herself absorbed by the natural beauty. She was especially captivated by the elegance of the silvery crescent moon. For once, everything around her was forgotten as she stood there admiring the scenery.

When she looked back down again, Maya was no longer around. The girl sighed dejectedly and sat down on a bench. She realised that she had lost trace of her good friend, and now the place suddenly felt as empty as her heart, but at least she still had Maya's jacket. A small smiled returned to her face as she gently rubbed the warm fabric.

It was then she spotted a boy coming out of the main entrance.

His hair was short and dark brown. She couldn't tell the colour of his eyes, but the gentle curves on the boy's face made him look slightly feminine. He carried a backpack on his thin shoulder. As the boy walked past the girl, he noticed her looking at him.

"See you tomorrow, Ayanami," He smiled and continued his way without stopping.

The girl kept silent; her eyes trailing the boy as he proceeded to the main road and away from the NERV complex. What she found interesting was the friendly manner the boy had spoken to her and the warm smile that he had given. He reminded her of Maya, someone who had been kind to her. The girl quickly remembered why she had lost sight of Maya. Not willing to be left alone again, she stood up and followed the boy.

Perhaps she would be able to make a new friend.

Nevertheless, the girl could not gather enough courage to confront the boy directly. She simply tailed him quietly from behind, watching his movements closely as they walked past several buildings and crossed a few roads. It was a while later that the boy glanced back and saw the girl following him. He smiled again and turned at a corner.

The girl followed him.

When the boy saw her still walking behind him, he stopped. A questioning look appeared on his face, "Is something wrong, Ayanami?"

She contemplated for a brief moment, before shaking her head.

"Ok…do you need anything from me then?" The boy asked, "I'll try my best to help you if I can."

Again, the girl hesitated. She was indeed having a little problem. There was no place she could go to for the night, because even though Maya had told her to go home, the girl did not know the way. Finally, she looked nervously at the boy and replied, "…Home…go…go home…"

The boy looked a little surprised at first, but he eventually responded with another warm smile, "You want me to walk you home?"

The girl quickly nodded.

"Alright," The boy replied softly; the smile never leaving his face. He then turned and started walking towards another direction, the one away from his own residence.

It was then the girl noticed the nametag on the boy's shirt. As they walked, she leaned her head over to the boy's chest and stared the words carved on the little piece of metal. When she stood back straight again, she mimicked the boy's warm smile and declared happily, "Shinji."

The boy stopped on his tracks. His eyes widened as he turned to glance at the girl.

Just as she had done in the elevator with Maya, the girl patted herself on the chest and smiled, "Ayanami."

This was followed by a lengthy silence, as the girl held out her hand while the boy stood there staring at her, seemingly unable to take his eyes off her still smiling face.

"You really aren't very familiar with social custom, are you?" The girl spoke and gestured to her hand after a while, "You're meant to shake it."

Shinji looked at her whitish hand, then at her face, and then back at her hand. With his own hand slightly trembling, he reached out and gently grabbed the girl's. She squeezed back and shook it lightly, before adding cheerfully, "We're friends now, Shinji."

"Uh huh…" The boy could only manage a vague reply, for he was blushing heavily.

Together, the two of them continued their way quietly and headed through the night streets. Soon, the more isolated part of the city was left behind, and they arrived at a very crowded area where shopping and recreational centres were abundant.

Some carefree couples were strolling along the pedestrians' path; a few little kids skipped around happily with their parents watching closely. The songs aired by the music stores added a soothing presence to the lively streets. The brilliant lights that hung on the buildings and across the malls were very attractive, and the girl found her lips curving upwards as she bathed herself in this joyful atmosphere.

The girl then took out the packet of sweets Maya had given her. She threw a small piece of bubblegum into her mouth and offered the packet to Shinji, "Want some?"

The brown haired boy took a piece for himself, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The girl smiled once again, feeling pleased with herself. She then turned her attention back to the city lights.

Her cheeks started to swell into two little balls as she concentrated her breath inside her oral cavity. Soon later, a small balloon appeared in front of her mouth, and it grew bigger and bigger as she continued to pump air into the elastic globe.

Suddenly, with a pop, the balloon exploded and the pinkish material was spread over and around her mouth. She then slipped her fleshy tongue out, before proceeding to lick her lips and chin clean of the sticky gum.

It took her a while to notice Shinji staring at her. The boy quickly looked away the instant she saw him. His cheeks were flushed red as he swallowed an audible gulp.

"Want more?" The girl asked, holding her bag of candies to Shinji.

"N-no…thanks…"

Both the children walked on silently afterwards. The girl was a little confused by the boy's change in attitude, and she was growing concerned that she might have done something wrong to upset him. It made her even more worried when she became aware that the boy was constantly lagging a few steps behind. It seemed that he felt uncomfortable being too close to her. This made the girl feel slightly saddened.

However, any remorse was quickly forgotten when they passed by a fashion shop and a full length mirror caught her eyes. She stopped walking immediately and looked enquiringly at her own reflection. It was the first time she was able to clearly and carefully observe her own appearance.

The girl had light blue hair. It wasn't neatly kept, but the feathery locks were of silk quality. Her red eyes stood out as a fine contrast to her pale skin and whitish lips. Overall, her face was very childlike, and the girl was a little surprised to learn that she looked so different from the people she had seen so far.

She then turned around to look for Shinji, only to find him standing there doing something peculiar.

The boy was sniffing his hand, the one which he had used to shake the girl's hand earlier.

Shinji immediately stopped when he realised that he had been caught in his act. The blue haired girl marched over and stood beside him. She stared at his hand, then at his sweating face, and then back at his hand. The girl then took his hand into hers and held it to her nose.

Like a curious little child, she took a series of small sniffs in between his fingers, his palm, his wrist and the back of his hand. They smelt pleasant, but she couldn't understand why the boy would be so interested in something like this. When she looked back up again, Shinji was frozen still and his cheeks were heavily blushed.

"Is everything alright, Shinji?"

"Y-yes…everything's fine…it's just that…" The boy eyed his companion uneasily, "It's just that you've been acting a little…unusual…today…"

His reply struck a cord within the girl. For a moment, she stood there stunned. It was the first time she realised that she had no memory beyond that day, and yet somehow she felt that she wasn't feeling as foreign to the environment as she should be.

Shinji broke her trance after a while, "Ayanami, is there something you want to tell me?"

"No…no…everything's fine, Shinji," The girl forced a smile. She then grabbed the boy's hand and pulled, "Come! Ayanami want to show Shinji something!"

She then dragged Shinji to the mirror she had seen earlier. Together, they stood in front of its full length and admired their own reflections that were staring back at them.

"Oh…" Shinji said, "It's a mirror."

"A mirror…" The girl repeated the word and swirled around gracefully, her skirt lifting slightly as she did so, "Ayanami and Shinji in a mirror…"

Shinji blushed again, but the boy smiled when he noticed how happy she was, "You should smile more often, Ayanami."

"Shinji likes Ayanami smile?"

"Yeah…It means you're happy…and…and I want my friends to be happy…"

"Then Ayanami smile more often for Shinji."

Shinji beamed at her reply, although he was still blushing slightly himself. He then watched in amusement as the girl blew another balloon with her bubblegum.

However, this time, she caught him off guard when she playfully pressed the balloon against his cheeks. The elastic ball stretched and exploded, scattering the gluey material all over his cheeks and mouth as the boy yelped in surprise.

Nevertheless, the girl was not fazed. The innocent smile was still plastered on her face as she began licking the bubblegum off Shinji's chin.

"Ayanami! W-what are you doing!" The boy pushed her and slowly backed away. His eyes were as wide as saucers. He tried to wipe the mess off his face with his hand, but ended up creating a bigger one as the gum was now stuck to his hand as well.

The girl frowned in return. That was her bubblegum on Shinji's face and she wanted it back.

"Give bubblegum back to Ayanami," She demanded.

Then, without warning, she suddenly pounced on the retreating boy and they fell to the floor together. Shinji struggled to free himself from the girl as she quickly climbed on top of him, pinned his hand with her knees and held his head still with her hands.

A grin appeared on her face. Shinji simply lie there sweating profusely and looking shocked.

"A-Ayanami! S-Stop playing around! This isn't funny!"

The girl ignored his plea, however. She bent forward and resumed licking her bubblegum off Shinji's face, all the while ignoring the small crowd that had gathered around to enjoy the spectacle. Her wet and fleshy tongue repetitively lashed out at the boy's chin, cheeks and nose, and sometimes even on his lips. By the time she was done, Shinji's face was damp with her saliva, but at least he was now clean.

The boy was still lying stunned on the floor when the girl stood back up.

It was then they noticed two boys of similar heights standing among the crowd. Shinji's eye twitched when he saw them.

"It looks like our dear friend here is hiding something from us, eh Kensuke?" The boy in black shirt grinned.

His bespectacled friend was still busy filming Shinji and the girl, "Sure is! This is going to be awesome!"

Shinji stood up quickly, his hand waving nervously, "N-no! It's not what you think! We're just…I…She…I'm just walking her home!"

"Say no more, Shinji. We are your good buddies and we will not interrupt your evening plans with Miss Ayanami here any further," The boy in black shirt said solemnly, before smirking mischievously, "We only ask that you tell us every detail of your romantic adventure tomorrow, yeah?"

"We're not dating!" Shinji nearly shouted. His face was an angry red.

The other two boys didn't bother giving any replies, however. They simply laughed hysterically and ran off into the streets.

Feeling slightly confused, the girl tilted her head, "Shinji's friends?"

"Not anymore," Shinji gritted his teeth. Frustration was evident in his tone, as he roughly wiped his damp face with his sleeves.

The girl sensed his anger, "Is everything alright, Shinji?"

"NO!" He shouted back and glared at her. The girl drew a sharp breath and took a few steps back. Shinji took several deep breaths himself, before sighing dejectedly, "Come on, Ayanami…Let's get you back to your apartment…"

The rest of the journey was made in complete silence. They walked several metres apart, and this time it was the girl who was constantly lagging behind. Shinji didn't even seem to acknowledge her presence anymore. He simply strode on looking ahead, not talking, not smiling, not stealing glances at the girl like he used to, and not even paying attention to where he was going, as shown when he carelessly walked into a lamp post.

The girl giggled, but stopped when Shinji simply ignored her.

It left the girl feeling distressed. She knew she had done something terrible. Otherwise, Shinji wouldn't have been so annoyed, but she didn't understand what she had done wrong. Not knowing what else to do, she simply followed Shinji quietly, hoping that the boy would eventually calm down and forgive her.

Soon, they arrived at a torn down building. The walls were dusty and some of the paints had fallen off. It was very dark around this area, and the malfunctioning street lamps that twinkled weakly in the distance only served to add to the gloom. The girl began to feel disheartened when Shinji started leading her up the stairs.

They arrived at a door a short while later. On top of the metal frame was written the word "Ayanami".

For the lengthy period that followed, both of them just stood there awkwardly. There was no word being exchanged, and the girl suddenly found the floor looking very interesting, as she stared blankly onto concrete surface.

"Well, here we are…" Shinji broke the tension after a while, "I'll see you tomorrow then." He then turned and walked away, apparently still feeling a little angry.

"Shinji!" The girl stopped him.

He glanced back, "What is it?"

The girl hesitated. She wanted to apologise, but not for the first time, she was struggling to find the right words. As the moment stretched, the two children found themselves tangled in another uncomfortable silence once more.

Eventually, the girl decided to do what she knew Shinji would like.

She gave a sincere smile, a smile that came right from her heart, "Ayanami…Ayanami likes Shinji…"

Since the corridor was so dimly lit, it was hard to see if Shinji was blushing as he had done so often that night. The girl waited for his reply, and waited, and waited, but none came. Her eyes began to sting a little bit, and she suddenly found herself blinking rapidly.

It was then his stuttering response finally came, "I…I like you too…Ayanami…I didn't mean to be rude just now…and…and I'm sorry if I upset you…"

It brought the cheerful smile back to the girl's lips. She rubbed her eyes dry, "Ayanami and Shinji are friends."

"Yeah…" The boy smiled back, "We are friends."

This was followed by a brief silence, as they simply looked at one another, feeling comfortable in each other's presence. It was a moment of understanding, and the girl could somehow sense that she had found a close friend in Shinji. It was something she wished to explore further in the future, and even right now she was a little unwilling to part with the boy.

Shinji finally spoke again after a while, "Well then, I better go now. I'll see you tomorrow, Ayanami."

"Goodbye, Shinji." It was all she could say.

And with that, she turned to open the door. Just before she stepped inside, however, Shinji stopped her.

"Ayanami!"

The girl glanced back at him with a questioning look on her face.

"It…it is a little dark here…and lonely too…so…" The boy muttered, "So next time you work late at NERV…let me know, and I'll… I'll walk you home like tonight… I don't mind…"

It took a while for the girl to understand, but when she did, she smiled and nodded happily.

"Ok then, see you tomorrow, and goodnight!" Shinji said. He then turned and jogged down the corridor, before turning at the corner and disappearing from sight.

The girl could almost feel the heat creeping up on her cheeks. Feeling much better, she stepped inside the apartment, closing the door behind her.

The first thing she noticed was the extremely filthy kitchen. There was also an odd smell coming from under the sink, but the girl ignored it as she tip-toed past the dirty area into the bedroom.

The sight that greeted her next froze her on the spot.

Another blue haired girl was lying there on the bed reading a book. She glanced upwards when she heard the girl. Her eyes widened slightly as she too was stunned silent.

They were identical.

Both of them remained still.

The moment extended and tension built as red eyes stared into red eyes.

* * *

Author's note: Okay…a few things I need to clear up… 

First of all, the girl in there is called Reiko, as I will reveal later. I will also explain why she wasn't able to speak properly in the next chapters. Also, I will explain why Ritsuko killed the clones earlier than she did in the anime, and why Reiko was the only one that survived.

As the title of this fic suggests, Reiko will play a big part in this fic, but as usual so will Shinji, Rei and Asuka. Some of you may not like Reiko because she is an ACC. Whether or not ACC scares you, I promise I will develop her into the Rei in the alternate reality in episode 26. I named her Reiko simply because it's the name that bears the closest resemblance to Rei, and I like the name Reiko. Actually, Reiko is also the name of Rei's daughter in my other fic!

Anyway, I already mention that this is a drama/romance. Third genre is humour and fourth is WAFF. Good man brindani is back pre-reading for me. That-fan, everyone's favourite yuri master, has also agreed to help. My special thanks to these two for pre-reading.


	2. Chapter 2

The Mighty Reiko-chan: Chapter 2

It was a pleasant walk home. Not because of the twinkling stars that lit the velvet sky; not because of the extraordinarily fresh air that felt so pleasant; not because of the eerily silent streets that oddly appeared to be so much more friendly than they used to; but because in his opinion, something good had happened today. Not just the usual good things that tend to happen once in a while. No, this time, it was something special.

'But what's so special about it?' Shinji's mind thought. He couldn't quite place it.

The boy paid no attention to his surroundings, as his mind dwelled deep in the events mere moments ago. For such a long time, he had hoped that the strange quiet girl would be more open to him, like how she acted with his father. The reason was simple, or so he thought. It would mean he had done something right if she talked to him the way she did to his father. It would prove that Shinji, in a way, resembled his father, even if just a bit. The boy acknowledged the fact that he didn't like his own father, but, in a way, he sometimes wished that he was more like his father than himself.

His wish had been partly granted today, or at least the door seemed to have been opened, and the funny thing was he hadn't even made any effort to chat her up, definitely not tonight.

'No,' Shinji thought, 'it wasn't that big. Just a small thing, that's all. A small, pleasant thing…that…that tends to happen once in a while…'

Another part of Shinji tried to convince himself that tonight had been different. He reminded himself that Rei had done something she hadn't since that memorable night months ago when she listened to Shinji and gave a kind, though somewhat awkward, smile. As that particular image of Rei smiling crept into his head, Shinji realised that tonight had in fact been different. Rei seemed truly happy, her smile coming very naturally. She even did so without him having to ask.

An odd feeling surfaced. Shinji tried to shake it away, but this peculiar sensation was beginning to bother him. Perhaps he just wasn't used to someone being so cheerful around him. The fact that this someone was Rei made it even more difficult for him to comprehend and accept, but what bothered him even more was the draining feeling he felt inside his heart when he had parted with the girl at her apartment door earlier. Was he already becoming attached to Rei? Was it just because she had acted so friendly towards him for only a couple of minutes?

His brows furrowed in annoyance and disgust.

'Shinji…' His mind spoke after going blank for a brief moment, '…you're truly pathetic…'

The instant he finished the sentence, his facial features softened again. The scene where the blue haired girl lashed her tongue at his face began to play itself over and over again inside his head. He remembered very clearly how it had felt, and surely that kind of intimate play would mean something? Shinji's hand subconsciously reached upwards and touched his hot cheeks that he was sure by then had turned a bright scarlet.

'She licked me…' His hand caressing the skin that was once wet with Rei's saliva, 'she licked me here…'

Shinji's mouth curved upwards into a small smile as he welcomed the surge of warmth in this increasingly chilly night. It didn't matter now. He had made his own conclusion. In any case, he must have done something right to deserve Rei's attention, and for that, he felt happy.

As Shinji continued his way home, scenes of him interacting with Rei earlier that night replayed themselves over and over again inside his head. At certain times, Shinji wished he had been wittier. Perhaps he could have said something different here and others there. Perhaps that would have impressed the girl even more. But overall, he was pleased with his own performance.

Shinji reached the apartment soon afterwards. As he approached the door, the bliss inside his heart was vaporised instantly by the sight that greeted him.

An apparently pissed off Asuka, with a very irritated glare on her face, was leaned against one of the walls. She was still dressed in her plug suit, with the hardened LCL fluid filthily glued to her body like a layer of dry mud. She lifted her eyes when she noticed Shinji, her foot soon started to tap impatiently while her face darkened significantly. There were also some occasional blonde streaks among her red hair.

As Shinji got closer to her, he realised that those streaks looked exactly like the cheap Chinese noodles they sold in the NERV cafeteria.

On an additional note, she also smelt rotten. Shinji had to struggle hard not to pinch his nose. He knew very well that doing something similar would result in something more painful than just inhaling the horrible scent.

"Asuka, what happened to-" Shinji asked, but the rest of the sentence was forcibly swallowed. Asuka's glare could do that sometimes. With both his hands shaking, Shinji hastily unlocked the door, quickly standing aside as she brushed past him.

The red haired girl stormed to her bedroom and slammed the door shut, which then bounced slightly off the wall, leaving a small slit in between. Any other time, Shinji would have found himself smiling and amused at how Asuka was still not accustomed to traditional architecture, but this time he simply bowed his head, put away his own stuffs in the bedroom, and then went into the kitchen.

'The storm will be over when it's over,' the boy thought as he took out some vegetables and meat from the fridge. He fed some canned tuna fish to Misato's pet penguin Pen-Pen, and then set off to prepare for tomorrow's lunch.

Shinji's skilled and seasoned hands worked at an impressive speed. Years of serving as the unofficial housemaid, both in his teacher's house and here, had made him proficient. All it took now was to decide what food to make, and then the body would do the rest of the work, almost automatically. Two plates here, three bowls there, four spoonfuls of sugar, three cups of water, half cook the meat etc…

As he worked, he could just faintly hear Asuka opening then closing the bathroom door. She was taking a shower. That was a good sign. It usually washed away her bad mood. Shinji sniffed as he silently wondered what had gotten Asuka into that mess. He also wondered if it really was a good sign at all that Asuka was taking a shower. After all, no one could have slept in that filth, certainly not him, and certainly not her.

At about ten minutes later, he heard Asuka coming out of the shower. This was followed by wet, approaching footsteps slapping on the concrete floor. Shinji turned around just in time to see a clean Asuka entering the kitchen, wrapped only in a small white towel. Her hair still appeared damp and her skin supple. The boy blushed slightly and quickly returned to washing the dishes and utensils.

It was an uncomfortable silence. With his back facing Asuka, he had no idea what she was doing at the dining table, and there was an irritating feeling in the guts telling him that Asuka was trying to dissolve him with her intense stare.

Finally, he gave in to curiosity and peeked back through the corner of his eyes. Shinji was slightly surprised to see Asuka sitting there quietly eating the sushi he had just finished making.

"A-Asuka," The boy blurted, "that's tomorrow's lunch!"

Asuka didn't bother glancing up. She kept her eyes fixed on the food and replied in an indifferent tone, "I'll buy my own tomorrow."

"N-no, it's okay…" Shinji quickly waved his hands, "I'll just make some more…"

Another silence followed, broken only occasionally by the clanking sound of Shinji's cooking utensils as the boy started to make more. He couldn't help but wonder. Asuka had told him earlier in the morning that she would be having dinner at the class rep's place, since Misato was working overtime again. That was the reason he hadn't prepared dinner tonight. Admittedly, Shinji was getting a little confused.

"I thought you would be staying at Horaki's place," Shinji spoke eventually.

"I came back."

"Oh, so how was dinner?"

"I came back from NERV."

"You ate at NERV?"

Apparently losing her patience with Shinji's questions, Asuka slowly put down her chopsticks, sat up straight, took a few deep breaths, and replied with a forced smile, "Shinji my dear, I haven't had my dinner."

Shinji forced a smile himself, although for a different reason to Asuka's. Her ominous stare looked increasingly dangerous. The boy hastily tried to calm the atmosphere, "Oh I see. I didn't know you were on a diet. That's good to know…"

As soon as he had finished the sentence, there was no doubt in Shinji's mind that his kind attempt had turned into a terrible blunder.

By then, Asuka was no longer trying to mask her annoyance. Her face twisted into a foul look. Shinji could just faintly see the angry fire behind those icy blue eyes. "Shinji, are you suggesting that I need one?"

"No-no I'm not! You're perfectly fine! I-I've never seen anyone look better, honest!"

Those words from Shinji came out almost automatically. His eyes widened; his heart pumping, in the fear that he had upset his housemate. It wasn't because he was afraid of the girl launching another verbal attack. It was because he truly meant it when he said he wanted all his friends to be happy.

Asuka did not appear to be mightily impressed, but she managed to calm down. The girl flicked her hair backwards and replied in a cynical tone. "I must warn you, Shinji. I'm susceptible to flattery."

Shinji's heart felt like it had been poked, but he was relieved to see Asuka back to her normal self. As she returned to her meal, Shinji went back to preparing more food and then cleaning the utensils. Both did each quietly, though Shinji was thankful that this silence was no longer an uncomfortable one.

Just before he finished his work, Shinji heard Asuka speak again, "What happened to your face?"

Shinji glanced back at the girl in confusion, "What happened to my face?"

"That's what I'm asking you," Both teenagers continued to stare at each other, until Asuka finally rolled her eyes at the clueless boy and pointed to his forehead, "There, on your forehead, what's up with the bump?"

Shinji immediately reached for his forehead and sure enough, there was a massive swelling there. He was then quickly reminded of how he had clumsily walked into a lamp post earlier that night. The funny thing was, he hadn't even been aware of the lump, but now that he knew, he realized it was actually throbbing painfully.

"Oh, it was nothing…I had a fall, that's all…" Shinji didn't want to tell the truth. That would have been quite embarrassing.

"Aren't you going to do anything about it?" Asuka asked as she put down her chopsticks.

"It will heal," Shinji replied.

At this, his housemate stood up and walked to the fridge. Shinji watched curiously as she took out a few cubes of ice and wrapped them in a kitchen towel. She then gave it to Shinji, "Here, take this. Press it on the lump. You'll feel better."

"Thanks," The boy did as he was told. Asuka then proceeded to walk out of the kitchen. "Aren't you going to finish your food?"

"No," She replied without glancing back, "I want to maintain my perfectly fine figure."

And then she was out of sight.

* * *

"How did you get here?" 

That was the first thing Rei asked when she saw her, for she knew quite well who the girl was and where she had come from. She had been stunned silent when she first met the clone's eyes, but it was soon being replaced by curiosity, and to a smaller extent, revulsion. Rei's mind was rapidly flooded with questions, answers of which she knew the other girl would not be able to give. Fully aware of how serious the situation could be, she decided to ask the simplest and the most important thing first.

"How did you get here?" Rei repeated her question as she put aside the book and stepped onto the floor. Frankly, she wasn't even sure if the clone could understand her language.

The clone kept quiet as Rei moved in closer to her. The expression she wore told Rei that she wasn't only shocked, but confused and scared as well. She took a few steps backwards before her legs gave in and she stumbled onto the floor.

Rei made no attempt in helping her up. There were more pressing matters. She left the clone and proceeded to the front door. She then opened it and stepped outside, quickly searching left and right before gazing downwards from her apartment building. It was there she spotted him, the person that had guided the clone girl to her residence.

Rei narrowed her eyes. She wasn't sure how she should feel to see that the person had been Shinji. It certainly made things a little more complicated, though she didn't quite understand why.

When Rei returned to her apartment, she noticed that the clone had already stood up, and was now fidgeting with her skirt nervously, while eyeing her surroundings with marked suspicion and disbelief.

"Can you understand me?" Rei asked as she walked to her cell phone and dialled a number. It would be better if the clone couldn't understand the conversation she was about to have with the commander. Rei waited for a response, but she received none. Instead, she was asked to leave a message on the commander's phone, which she chose not to.

She then dialled another number. At times when the commander's counsel was not available, Doctor Akagi was the person she would go to. However, Rei was once again surprised to learn that the scientist's line was also dead.

It was then she heard the other girl speak for the first time, "…Ayanami…can…understand…"

She sounded uneasy. Rei put down her phone and turned to the girl, "That is not your name."

"That is what my friends called me!" The clone raised her voice defiantly; her speech suddenly coming more easily and rapidly. Even she appeared slightly startled herself.

Rei gave no immediate reply, although she was becoming quite irritated. She simply marched over to the other girl; their eyes never left each other as she moved closer. Each step Rei took brought the tension to a higher level. However, the clone girl stood her ground firmly, seemingly not intimidated by Rei's approach.

Just as they were about to collide, Rei took the slightest turn to the side and walked past the girl, their shoulders brushing against each other as she did so.

"Who are they?" Rei asked as she tidied up her bed and put away her books. There was an exam coming up the next day, but by then she had lost all motivation to study.

A brief silence then followed. When Rei returned to the other girl, she found her standing there staring at the floor. Her brows were drawn closely together as she appeared to be struggling with an answer.

"Who are they?" Rei repeated her question, "Who are your friends?"

"Shinji…" The girl replied, "Shinji…and…and Maya…"

"Who else have you spoken to?"

The girl shook her head, but Rei was not satisfied with her answer. She grabbed the girl's jacket, "Whose shirt is this?"

"Maya's…"

Rei nodded before pressing on, "And the uniform?"

"Maya's…"

At this, Rei stared at the girl, and then at her blue skirt, and then back at the girl. The clone's facial expression showed no hints when telling the lie. Only the lack of logic gave her away because Rei knew Maya couldn't have given her the school uniform. Rei was not impressed, and even less convinced by the girl's attempt, but she was unsure if she should continue the interrogation. She could tell already that the clone did not trust her as she probably did Maya and Shinji.

It was then Rei spotted something bulging out inside the girl's pocket. She quickly seized and retrieved it, giving the girl little time to react. Rei soon found herself holding a pair of red neural clips that looked distastefully familiar.

"You've met the Second Child?"

"Why?" The girl was looking increasingly annoyed, although there was no menace in her tone when she questioned back, "Is she your friend?"

"What makes you think so?"

"Because you are both BAD people," The girl replied, making sure that she emphasized the word 'bad'. She then turned around and proceeded to the front door.

Rei was left temporarily startled. She had not expected such a response from the girl, but she quickly recovered and caught up with her.

"Where are you going?"

The girl tried to push her way out, "To find Shinji! Don't want to stay here with you!"

"It is too dangerous," Rei said as she grabbed the girl's hand to prevent her from leaving, "There are bandits lurking in the dark."

"Let me go!" The girl screamed in return. She began to struggle and Rei was having a hard time containing her, until she came up with a more convincing persuasion.

"They are already looking for you."

Oddly enough, it silenced the girl. She kept quiet for a few seconds before asking, "Who?"

"NERV agents," Rei replied. She wasn't sure how much the girl knew, but it didn't matter now.

"Why? What do they want from me?"

"I do not know, but I would stay here if I were you." As Rei finished, she went back inside and returned with a pair of clean uniform. She then offered it to the girl, "You can have this. Those clothes you are wearing do not belong to you."

The girl hesitated, apparently struggling hard with a decision. She took a glance at the streets where she could be headed, and all were hideously veiled in an absorbing black. Both girls stood still, and only the girl's hasty breaths disrupted the otherwise soundless night. Finally, she took the uniform from Rei and stepped back into the apartment without saying another word.

The rest of the night passed uneventfully. The girls did not exchange another word. They simply stared at each other, full of doubts and questions but unsure of how to ask them. Hours went by, and still nothing happened. Rei was already used to living a linear life, and it wasn't surprising that the boredom was more exhausting to the clone girl than her. Rei watched closely as the girl dozed off on the bed. She then picked a chair and sat down beside her.

There was an odd sensation inside Rei's chest. She didn't feel comfortable that she had not been honest with the clone girl. She knew very well that NERV agents were already looking for her, and they would soon be knocking on her front door. They would search her apartment whether she approved or not. Asking the clone girl to stay at her apartment would not keep her away from them. Instead, as Rei believed, it would only prevent her from falling into unknown hands. Rei was not sure if she should feel guilty, for it was her intention that the clone girl be found and returned to NERV as quickly as possible. That was the reason she had asked her to stay.

However, what bothered Rei even more was that her feelings were now clouded by uncertainties. She tried to imagine what the commander would do to the clone girl once he found her. On one hand, she wanted everything reverted back to normal; on the other, she couldn't seem to shake off a peculiar attachment to the girl. Perhaps it was the bond they shared. Rei didn't like it. She hated changes.

Rei did not know when she had fallen asleep, but when she woke up the next day, it was already morning. She briefly scanned the room, and was mildly surprised to see the clone still sitting on the bed, fully alert and gently caressing the uniform Rei had given her earlier. Rei noted that her eyes were fixed at the front of the blouse. There was no sign of any NERV agents.

Rei glanced at her watch. It read half-past six. She then stood up to get ready for school, but stopped when she heard a strange noise coming from the clone girl's stomach. It was then Rei noticed that the girl appeared quite distressed.

She seemed reluctant to ask for help, but Rei understood what she needed. The blue haired girl went to the kitchen, opened her fridge and returned with some small pieces of sandwiches and a few Chinese plums, the later of which she offered to the clone girl.

"Eat," she said.

Eagerly, the clone girl did as she was told. Rei paid no attention afterwards. She put the sandwiches in her schoolbag. Those would be her brunch for the day. Then, she went into the showers and completed her morning tasks.

Her brows furrowed when she came out from the washroom. Rei wasn't sure if she should feel annoyed or amused.

The clone girl was apparently struggling with the plums. Still young and inexperienced at her age, she didn't seem to be satisfied at just eating the flesh. Awkwardly enough, she was also trying hard to chew apart the plum's skin and swallow them. Her face was twisted in frustration as she grumbled, pulling and tearing her way through, and as a result, the juice dripped onto the bed dirtying the white linen.

Rei said nothing. She simply walked over to the clone, took the plums from her hands, and peeled off the skin patiently before giving them back to her.

The clone seemed to be having a much more pleasant meal after that. Rei then took her bag and prepared to leave. She also made sure that she brought the Second Child's uniform and neural clips with her. With the two massive holes in front of the blouse, Rei could see no reason why her colleague would want the uniform back, but she refused to rule out the possibility that the Second Child might just like the slight modification.

Rei brushed the soft fabric as she pondered with the idea of using it as a dry mat. She then decided that the uniform would serve well for that purpose if it was rejected later.

"Why is Ayanami your name and not mine?" The clone girl asked suddenly.

"Why do you think it's my name?" Rei turned to face her, "I have not told you so."

"It's written on your shirt." The clone replied, her finger pointed at the nametag on the uniform she was still wearing.

"A name is merely something that's given for our convenience," Rei explained, "It is not important."

"It is to me," The clone, still eating her plums, looked markedly dejected. She took a small bite, "…I…I wish I knew the answer…"

Rei made no reply, although for a brief moment she wondered what the clone should be named if she was to be given one. Rei didn't want to tell her that she might not even need a name. The commander was often ruthless when making decisions.

As she came to the door, she heard the clone ask again, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to school."

The clone quickly caught up with her, "School?"

"Yes."

"Can I come?"

"No."

She raised her eyebrow, "Why not?"

Rei stood still for a few short seconds, trying to contemplate how best to answer the clone. She then replied, "Do you want to see…Shinji…again?"

The clone nodded enthusiastically at the mention of Shinji's name, and her face brightened significantly.

"Then stay," Rei continued, "I will return with Shinji later."

Rei couldn't be certain if the clone believed her, but the cheerful smile on her face seemed to suggest so. Just before she left, Rei turned to the clone again, "Remember, do not leave the room."

And then she closed the door and set off for school. Still slightly perplexed at what had transpired since the previous night, Rei quietly reflected on her identity, purpose and the uncertainties that lay in the future. She had seen copies of her body before when working on the Dummy Plug system, so it shouldn't have come as an immense shock. Still, seeing her clones floating lifelessly in the LCL tank was one thing; watching one of them move, talk and think was another.

* * *

"Shinji man, like, we're buddies," Touji said, tipping his chair slightly backwards in perfect balance, "It's not cool to hide things from us." 

Shinji sighed in return. He had expected this to happen at school, but that didn't mean he had to like it. His friends were trying to squeeze every last bit of information out of him, and they were threatening to show the video to his other classmates if he refused to talk.

"I've told you many, many times that I was only walking her home and nothing happened!" Shinji repeated what he had been saying over the past fifteen minutes or so. The boy had told his so called buddies everything, and still they wouldn't believe him. Admittedly, he was growing frustrated, "Now give me that video!"

Kensuke dodged Shinji's attempt when he tried to grab his camera, "Hey watch it man! This baby here is something money can't buy!" He said, stroking it lovingly.

Shinji frowned. He would have had Kensuke's camera destroyed just to make sure nobody would ever see the video's contents. Shinji could just picture everyone teasing him once they saw the licking scene. The boy wouldn't have been bothered much, but he didn't want to see Rei being laughed at.

"Look, Shinji man," Touji said as he leaned forward, "We're getting our answers regardless. Whether it's from you," He grinned and gestured to a blue haired girl sitting at the far corner, "or her, is your decision."

Shinji's eyes widened, "B-but I've already told you everything!"

"Alright then, don't hate me."

Touji was about to stand up when Shinji grabbed his hand, "N-no! Don't do this!"

"Yeah," Kensuke cut in, "Don't force him, man. The guy deserves some privacy. It's his secret to keep."

Shinji was surprised, but pleased that his bespectacled friend had decided to speak for him. Touji, however, was still not convinced. He simply sat down and gave a sly smile, "Well, then talk!"

By then, Shinji had given up all resistance. He definitely didn't want to risk Rei being confronted for something so silly. The boy took a deep breath, and then he replied, "Ok, I had fun last night. It was…refreshing…to see her so happy, but that's the thing…"

"What? What thing?" Touji asked eagerly. Even Kensuke had put down his camera and was listening carefully.

Shinji cast a curious glance at the girl in subject, "She was acting so…so different…that I don't know what it could possibly mean. I'd never seen her like that, and now look at her…"

The other two boys followed Shinji's gaze and stared at the quiet girl. As usual, she was looking outside the window, paying attention to nothing in particular. Perhaps Shinji was just being pessimistic, but the cheerful Rei he had spoken to the previous night suddenly seemed so far away. Shinji didn't like it, but he tried not to show it.

"In any case," He continued, "It doesn't matter now. Nothing has changed."

Just then, Asuka, who had spent the previous night at Hikari's after the class rep gave her a phone call expressing her concern, arrived with Hikari trailing behind. Shinji was about to greet them, but stopped when he noticed the malevolent look on Asuka's face. He watched as his housemate marched to, surprisingly, Rei.

A tense moment followed. Shinji's heart began to beat uncomfortably. Being aware of the hostile relationship between the girls, he had little reason to like where this was going. Before Shinji could do anything, however, the situation had already escalated. The whole class went silent when Asuka slammed both her fists down on the First Child's desk.

Rei turned her attention from the window to Asuka. She then casually retrieved a set of clothes from her drawer.

"Your uniform," She said with an even tone, "And neural connectors."

Still looking resentful, Asuka searched through the clothes, apparently trying hard to find something. "Where are the keys?" She asked.

"I don't have them."

"I kept them in the pocket," Asuka thrashed the uniform onto Rei's face, "How can you not have them, you foul wretched whore?"

A stark contrast to her red haired adversary, Rei maintained her composure and patience, "As I said, I don't have them."

Asuka didn't look very convinced. She kept her forceful glare on Rei, of which the blue haired girl returned with her trademark dull stare. The other students watched closely as neither girl looked likely to give in. Among them, Hikari was trying to pull Asuka away from Rei, but her friend refused to even move. The bell rang soon afterwards.

It was Asuka who finally broke the ice. "Don't you ever lay your filthy hands on my possession again, you understand?" She then took her neural clips but left the torn uniform.

"I apologise, Pilot Sohryu," Rei said, "I was not myself last night."

The Second Child responded by shaking her head in disbelief, "Words cannot describe how much I hate you."

"Just don't let it affect your work."

"My work?" Asuka raised her voice, "So is that all there is to you? NERV and piloting?"

At this, Rei returned her attention to the window and replied quietly, "Is it not the same for you?"

For a short moment, Asuka appeared hurt and seriously taken aback. Shinji could barely notice the glisters forming in her eyes, but the girl refused to let the angry tears flow.

"I'm not like you," She answered bitterly, before being urged back to her seat by Hikari, who wore a worried look on her face.

Perhaps it was fortunate that the teacher arrived immediately afterwards. Shinji was grateful that at least the lessons went on as if nothing had happened. It was no secret to him that the two female pilots didn't get along well, although he feared that their relationship had finally hit rock bottom. Shinji didn't like the idea of being torn between two friends.

He then cast a curious glance at Rei. Shinji figured Rei must have taken Asuka's clothes by mistake, and that was why her housemate had been so gloomy the previous night. Still, it didn't explain the noodles on Asuka's hair, but Shinji wasn't too concerned about that. He was more curious about Rei's sudden change in attitude. The idea of confronting Rei did reach his mind, but Shinji wasn't too keen. He wasn't very comfortable with the girl.

Nevertheless, his chance came just before school ended. The class had their exams in the final period, after which the teacher called for two volunteers to carry the papers back to his office. As usual, Hikari offered to help, but the teacher decided that the class rep had done quite enough. Instead, he asked the last two students that finished the test to assist him.

"I hope you don't mind," Shinji opened the conversation as they walked down the corridor. The boy didn't know what to make of the strange coincidence.

"About what?" Rei replied.

"Asuka…" The boy answered, "She was very upset."

"I understand."

"I'm glad you do," Shinji smiled, feeling slightly more relaxed.

"I apologise for what happened yesterday," Rei said suddenly, briefly glancing at the boy, "As I said, I was not myself."

"Oh…I see…" The smile on Shinji's face faded. "Don't worry…It's alright…" He continued, more to himself than to Rei.

The girl simply nodded in return. Both became silent for a while. Now that Shinji had his answer, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. As it turned out, yesterday was nothing more than a dream. The hopes of learning more about Rei vanished instantly.

Just like what he had said to his friends earlier, nothing had, in fact, changed.

"I wonder how I did on the test," Shinji said. Anything at all to break the uncomfortable silence, "I wasn't confident though. How do you think you did?"

"I don't know."

"I'm sure you did well. You've always been studious."

Rei cast a curious look back at Shinji, "How do you know?"

"Well…you just seem like that type of person, at least to me…"

The girl did not bother with a reply. She returned her gaze to the front. Shinji wasn't sure if he had offended her.

"Sorry…"

"For what?"

"I…I don't know…"

"You don't know?"

"Yeah…" Shinji replied, his cheeks now red with embarrassment. He recalled something Asuka had told him earlier, "I guess…I guess it's just my habit…"

* * *

It had been a long, tedious day for the girl. All she did was sit, or occasionally walk around a near-empty room with very little to satisfy her growing curiosity. She didn't find it hard initially, for she was eagerly looking forward to meeting Shinji again, as Rei had promised earlier. So, she waited, and waited, and waited until finally her patience ran out and she became restless. 

She began to search the apartment, desperately hoping to find something that could spark her interest. Eventually, she managed to find a storybook kept inside one of Rei's drawers. It was called "The German Jam". The pages were crawled with tiny little words, and there were very few pictures in it. Nevertheless, the girl started reading, and she was pleased to know that she could understand a decent number of the words.

Her eyes tired out after a while, so she decided to put the book away and go back to sleep. As she lay on the bed, the girl began to feel distressed again. Her stomach was making noise, just as it had done earlier in the morning when she first woke up. The girl tried to ignore it by forcing her eyes shut, only to realise that they were wide open moments later.

In the end, she decided that she had to do something about it. The girl went into the kitchen, looking around and finally locating the medium sized fridge sitting under the sink. She sat down beside it, pulled the door open and peeked inside. Her eyes were quickly fixed on a green, funny looking thing about the size of a foot. Its skin was deeply wrinkled, but it looked pretty fleshy. The girl would later learn that it was called a bitter gourd.

Feeling delighted with herself, she grabbed it and took a huge bite. Her stomach twisted instantly, and she threw out the mouthful in disgust. Still suffocating from the bitter taste in her lips, she stared at the offending object and wondered briefly why Rei would eat such a horrible thing.

She then shrugged it off and continued her quest to find some decent food, and this time she became interested in a small jar with reddish jelly on the inside. The girl observed it carefully, realising that its appearance was quite similar to something that had been mentioned earlier in the storybook. If she wasn't mistaken, this object was called a German jam. She opened the jar and took a few sniffs. The smell was fragrant. Smiling, she digged inside and scooped out a handful of jam. She then sucked them off her fingers hungrily.

As she ate, the girl glanced at the apartment door, wondering what Shinji and Maya were doing. She hoped that she would be able to see them soon.

Suddenly, to the girl's huge surprise, the door opened, and two tall figures appeared. One had greyish white hair and narrow eyes, and was dressed in a reddish brown suit; the other looked muscular, with his fine looking face framed by a mass of black hair and beard. His eyes were obscured by an orange tinted glasses and he wore a black coat with a red shirt underneath.

The girl recalled that she had seen them before, but she could not remember when or where.

"What are you doing?" The shorter man asked with his cold, hard voice, apparently dismayed by the mess the girl was causing, "Rei?"

She gave no answer. The girl tried to stand up but her legs wouldn't listen. She simply stared back at the two men with her big, sparkling red eyes.

"So it's true then…" He continued after a short silence, "…Not all have been destroyed…"

"Unbelievable…" His companion added.

They then advanced on the girl.

* * *

It was in the evening. The city had become overshadowed by dark, heavy clouds that blocked the sunlight almost entirely. Thunder could be heard occasionally in the distant. Flashes of lightning lit the grey sky, signalling an upcoming rainstorm. Even the wind had become cold and was blowing relentlessly. 

As expected, the droplets came down soon after she left school. It was a little earlier than she had anticipated, but Rei was prepared. She took out an umbrella from her bag, using it to shelter herself and a small box she was carrying in her arms.

It was a gift from Shinji, given to her after they had completed their task with the test papers. The boy told her that he had made some extra sushi the previous night, and he wanted Rei to have them. Rei could find no reason to reject them, so she accepted, without thanking him, because she understood quite well that the sushi had not been intended for her. Rei had not missed the change in Shinji's look during their conversation earlier.

'I did not thank him because I am not obliged to,' she reasoned to herself, convinced that Shinji had not been bothered by her lack of courtesy. In any case, Rei wasn't about to eat them. The sushi would probably end up in the dustbin.

However, she quickly put these thoughts away when she saw a black Mercedes parked at the foot of her residential building. Rei was aware that the car belonged to the commander, but she was still surprised that it took him so long to locate the clone girl.

Rei anxiously walked up the stairs. She had been able to keep most of herself dry from the rain, though her socks were now drenched. It felt irritating, but Rei paid little attention. She was more concerned about the commander and his decision.

The commander was outside her apartment when Rei reached him. He was alone, leaned against the wall and staring at the downpour. Between his fingers was a cigarette. He pressed it between his lips, took a deep breath, and slowly released a lungful of greyish smoke. The commander wore a blank expression, but Rei could see the grief in his eyes. It wasn't the first time she had seen him like this, and Rei knew from past experience that the commander must have been thinking about his deceased wife.

"Sir," Rei approached him.

It took a while for the commander to notice her, "What's that?" he asked, gesturing to the box Rei was carrying.

"Dinner," She replied, before adding quickly, "I bought it from a takeaway restaurant."

"For you," He asked again, "or for her?"

"Sir, I tried to contact you, but your line was dead."

A brief silence followed. They kept their eyes fixed on each other. Rei did not like being put under pressure, especially by the commander whom she had tremendous respect and even affection for. She felt uncomfortable under his stare, but Rei did not let it show.

"Very well then," The commander spoke finally; his face softened. He dropped the cigarette and stepped on it, putting out the fire. "Our project has failed. The doctor destroyed all the bodies inside, so from now onwards, you are not required to work on the Dummy System anymore. It is no longer an option to us."

Rei nodded, "Understood."

"Instead, you have a new task," He continued, "We've lost all data on cloning technology, so Reiko must be kept alive."

"Reiko?"

"Ayanami Reiko. It's her new name."

"I see," Rei lowered her eyes. She was not sure how she should feel about the new development. Admittedly, it wasn't what she had expected. The door to her apartment was closed, but she could faintly hear Reiko giggling and talking to the vice-commander on the inside. It appeared that the commander had not done anything drastic to her.

"She is to be known as your twin sister," The commander added, to Rei's mild surprise.

"My twin sister?"

"Yes. When you were young, she was taken to visit a relative as a surprise. During the trip, there was an accident and the only person to know her whereabouts died with the car. The girl was then taken to a hospital in comatose state, her memories lost until only recently," He explained, "We've arranged the documental details. You need not worry about that."

"What about her newly acquired memories?"

"What about it?"

"She must have seen Terminal Dogma, has she not?"

"Those were simply hallucinations, caused by her rejuvenated brain frequency when she woke up in the hospital," The commander replied, "Her first real memory was the encounter with the Second Child, and the events happening after that."

"Has she been convinced?"

"We've done our best. The truth must be kept between us and the vice-commander. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Do you have any further enquiries?"

"Yes sir," Rei said; her delicate brows slightly furrowed, "You mentioned about my new task."

"Of course," He replied, looking straight at her, "You are to look after Reiko and take care of her well-being."

Once again, Rei cast her gaze downwards, but this time in doubts and indecision. She did not want to reject the commander's order, but deep down she was more worried about letting him down if she failed. The commander seemed to have sensed it, so he asked, "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Sir, I'm not sure if I'm qualified for such a duty."

"There is no one else better suited. The vice-commander and I do not have sufficient time for trivial matters, and unfortunately, placing her in the care of others would make her a liability to our plans. It's a risk we cannot afford," He then put his hand firmly on Rei's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, "You are the only other person I trust."

That was all the encouragement she needed, "Understood, sir. Do I still proceed with the synch test scheduled tomorrow?"

"The synch test will proceed as planned," The commander replied, quickly understanding why Rei had asked such a question, "The doctor is taking an indefinite leave, so I will be overlooking it."

Just then, the vice-commander came out from the apartment. He closed the door behind him when he saw Rei, "So, have you spoken to the commander?"

"Yes sir."

"No need to call me that," He laughed, followed by a warm smile, "She is very pleasant to talk to. I'm sure you'll get along fine."

Rei nodded in return.

"How was school today?" The vice-commander asked casually, "Are you coping well?"

"There was an exam this afternoon, and another coming next week, but I can manage."

"Must be hard on you, having to work on two fronts," He replied, showing empathy in his eyes. Apparently, the commander saw it too.

"Shall we move on, Fuyutsuki?" He interrupted.

"Yes of course," The vice commander replied, still smiling. They then started to leave, but Rei stopped them before they were out of sight.

"Sir…"

The commander turned around, "Yes? What is it?"

Rei hesitated, but decided to ask eventually, "I wish to know how she escaped."

"She has a soul. The others don't." The commander explained, "I'm afraid that's all I can tell you."

"We didn't know she was alive," The vice-commander added, "We just found out several hours ago. The doctor sabotaged the security camera."

"But not the ones outside Terminal Dogma," The commander continued, casting a glance at his older colleague, "We saw her leave with the Third Child."

"How did she acquire a soul?" Rei asked again.

"We're working on the answer," The commander replied frostily, before turning away, "Goodnight, Rei."

Rei understood that he didn't wish to continue the conversation any further, "Goodnight, sir."

She then watched as the two disappeared into the stairs.

* * *

"Welcome back!" Reiko greeted in traditional Japanese style when she saw Rei emerging from the door. The funny old man called Fuyutsuki had told her earlier that doing so would please her sister, though Rei's blank expression didn't seem to suggest so. "Where's Shinji?" 

"He couldn't come today," Rei approached and gave her a small box, "But he gave you this."

Reiko opened it, "More food?" Before Rei could answer, however, the clone girl was already inhaling the sushi inside. They tasted delicious, even more so since it was from Shinji. Feeling generous, she offered some to Rei, who shook her head and stepped into the showers.

Reiko wasn't bothered much by her sister's rejection. She knew quite well that Rei was hardly a friendly person, unlike Shinji, Fuyutsuki and Maya. In any case, the girl had regained her cheerful self. She felt much better now that the mist surrounding her identity had been lifted, or so she would like to believe.

Reiko had just finished eating when Rei came out from the washroom a few minutes later. She then watched as her sister retrieved another set of uniform from the cupboard and gave it to her, "Go take a shower."

"Ok," Reiko nodded and did as she was asked.

"I have to work tomorrow morning," Rei added, "But I expect it to be done by noon. We will go shopping together after that."

"Shopping?"

"To buy groceries," She replied, "We are running out of supplies."

The rest of the night was spent rather uneventfully, but Reiko was delighted when Rei agreed to read her "The German Jam". She had grown a liking to the story. Rei had refused initially, but after much prodding and pleading by Reiko, she eventually gave in. They both ended up sitting on Reiko's new bed, of which the two commanders had provided earlier. And so with one asking questions relentlessly and the other answering them patiently, they went through the pages together until the younger of the sisters fell asleep.

When Reiko woke up, it was already early morning. Rei was nowhere to be found, but she had left some sandwiches on the study table. Reiko ate them appreciatively. She briefly recalled the bonding experience she had shared with her sister the previous night. Perhaps Rei wasn't so bad after all…

However, the young girl's patience was once again tested when she realised that she had to spend the entire morning waiting for Rei's return. It was a dreadful feeling. Reiko hated being alone. It somehow made her feel unwanted. She wished she had someone to talk to, but on the other hand, she didn't want to disobey her sister's instructions. Reiko glanced out of the window, gazing longingly at the clear, blue sky and the buzzing streets. They intrigued her, and it became increasingly tempting for her to venture outside.

And then a cunning thought flashed through her mind.

Unlike the day before, she had not been ordered to stay inside the apartment. Instead, she was simply told that she would be shopping together with Rei in the afternoon. Surely it would be alright if she sneaked out for just a few hours and returned home before Rei got back?

And that was all the planning she needed.

Smiling, she skipped through the front door and left the building.

At first, Reiko couldn't decide on a destination, but it quickly came to her that perhaps she should try going to NERV. Maybe she would be able to find her friends there. Shinji had shown her the way before, although the girl could vaguely remember it now. Her courage and resolve kept her going. Unfortunately, it just wasn't enough. She missed the landmarks and soon found herself lost in the middle of the city.

It came as a relief when someone caught up with her.

"Rei!" A strange woman with purple hair called out as she parked her car beside Reiko, "You want a ride?"

The girl did not know how to reply.

"Come on! Don't be shy!" Smiling, the woman opened the door for her, "Hope inside!"

Reiko was reluctant, but she eventually accepted the woman's invitation and got in the car. She figured that it would probably be better than simply wandering around mindlessly.

"So, you have a synch test coming up, haven't you?"

The girl tilted her head and stared back in confusion, "Synch test?"

"Yeah, it's scheduled this morning, right?"

"Is it?"

"Isn't it?" It was the woman's turn to look confused. She then appeared to descend into deep thoughts, and when she finally woke up from the lengthy trance, she began to laugh nervously, "Haha silly me! You must excuse me, Rei. I can be quite forgetful sometimes."

Reiko thought the woman was acting weird, but she said nothing in return.

"Anyway, so you're going to NERV?"

At this, the girl's adventurous nature took over. She wasn't about to let this opportunity slip. Her face twisted into a mischievous grin as she replied, "No."

"Oh," The woman seemed taken aback, "Then where are you headed?"

"School."

* * *

Author's note: 

Well, Gendo probably would've taken responsibility for Reiko himself and kept her in NERV, but that would kill all the fun. Maybe top writers can pull that off, but I can't so I've decided to go a little OOC to keep the drama going. Ritsuko's motives and Reiko's soul will be explained in the next chapters. Rei perhaps seemed a bit rebellious and unfriendly, and you may think she's being portrayed negatively as compared to Reiko. Don't worry it's all safe with me.

Right, so here comes the question: where have I been all this while? Well, I have a few problems, but I don't feel like discussing them here. Anyway, I also want to work hard on my chapters and not post rubbish that I might regret writing later. And I want to keep the length decent too. For me, anything less than 5000 words is not worthy of a chapter itself, not when I'm getting such enthusiastic response.

Ok I think I've talked long enough. Hopefully next update will not take this long! Yeah, Reiko at school should be fun! Special thanks to brindani and thatfan for pre-reading.


End file.
